Chapter 38: Lucas

 

I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Rhonen was snarling with rage. If it wasn’t for what I owed her, I would have Daisy by the throat. My duty as her Alpha was the only thing protecting her right now.

“Lucas, ther…”

“Get out,” I bellowed, advancing on her. Putting myself between her and Sutton.

“What?” She somehow managed to look hurt, which only pissed me off more. “You don’t mean…”

“Daisy, get out,” I commanded, putting the full weight of my energy behind it.

She couldn’t argue. She couldn’t do anything but obey. I didn’t even wait to make sure she was gone before my attention went entirely to Sutton. She was completely pale and shaking, refusing to look at me. I put my hands on her shoulders. She jumped, gasping as she desperately backed away, bumping into the counter when there was nowhere else to go.

“Sutton, it’s not…”

“Don’t,” she shouted. “Just don’t. I can’t… I won’t…”

“It’s not true,” I insisted, desperately trying to calm her down so she could listen.

“Which part?” she demanded. “The part where you promised to be with her or the part where you planned to reject me all along? You know what? I don’t want to know. It doesn’t matter.”

She rushed to leave but I lunged in front of her.

“It does matter,” I insisted. “You need to listen to me, Sutton.”

“I’ve been listening since I met you,” she yelled, trying to push past me. “And look what it’s gotten me. I can’t believe I was so stupid. I let you get into my head just like Mason. You were just biding your time so you could humiliate me just like him. And all along you’ve had a mate here waiting…” She froze and her eyes widened. She looked toward the backyard. “The boy. He’s yours, isn’t he?”

I stiffened. Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. She had to be talking about Jack. Daisy must have brought him. She always did. I needed Sutton to listen more than ever. I needed her to let me explain.

“No, it’s not what you think…”

“Stop,” she screamed, pushing me away with more strength than I thought she would have. “You don’t have to reject me, Lucas. I’m done. Leave me alone.”

She took off running, pushing past Jaden and Max as they came through the front door. I went to go after her but there was a bang at the back of the house.

“What the hell, Lucas? Why is my sister outside crying her eyes out?” Connor demanded, grabbing my arm.

I turned on him, pushing him against the wall. “Get her the hell off this property, Connor,” I demanded. “If I see her again any time soon, she won’t have the chance to walk away again.”

Connor looked shocked. He never would have thought I’d ever threaten Daisy. But she had just guaranteed that would change with her actions. I needed to get to Sutton, instead of dealing with the mess Daisy was making here.

“What is going on in here?” Aunt Lara cried, coming into the house. “Where’s Sutton?”

“I fucking told you to protect her,” I yelled, turning on my aunt. “I trusted you to keep her safe. Not parade her in front of the entire county.”

This was a waste of time. I left everyone behind as I rushed out of the house. Sutton was nowhere to be seen. I didn’t know where she would have run to. Taking a deep breath, I searched for her scent, quickly singling it out of the rest. It led up the driveway toward the street. I took off at speed as a gust of wind blew, scattering her scent everywhere.

I had to get her back.

Rhonen pushed the shift, trying to take over. He was faster, but seeing him for the first time in the state she was in would be terrifying for Sutton. It was the last thing we needed. So, I sprinted down the gravel, reliving the last time I’d done this. I slid to a stop once I reached the street. I looked around but still didn’t see Sutton.

Panic started to set in when I caught a strange scent mingled with Sutton’s. A scream suddenly echoed through the fields. My heart stopped. A sharp pain erupted along the side of my head. Another scream sounded.

Sutton.

It wasn’t a thought anymore. Rhonen ripped through our barrier, forcing the shift as he took off at full speed. With Rhonen’s heightened senses, it didn’t take us ten yards to pinpoint the direction Sutton’s cries were coming from. The closer we got, the more we heard. Sutton’s cries and pleas consumed us. We followed them to the high brush at the edge of the field. Pushing through the foliage, Rhonen landed in a clearing, bearing his teeth as we searched for our mate.

His eyes landed on her across the way. A lycan in half-wolf form stood over her. He snarled down as blood flowed from deep gashes down his face and chest. He raised his clawed hand over her head. Launching at him, I half-shifted to match him, catching him in the middle and knocking him off his feet.

He hit the ground with a loud grunt. I rolled back to my feet, twisting around to bury my claws beneath his jaw. His yelp was cut off as I yanked hard, pulling his jaw from the socket as I broke his neck. The thud of his weight was the only sound that came when he landed this time. He slowly shifted back into a human as we all do in death.

Sutton cried out again, pulling me from my rage-filled haze. She was hunched over on her hands and knees. Shifting back to a human, I rushed to her side. She clutched her stomach, whimpering in pain. I pulled her into my arms, noticing her hands as I did so.

Claws were receding from the tips of her fingers.

“I’m here, baby,” I assured her. “It’s me.”

“It hurts, Lucas,” she cried. “Why does everything hurt? What’s happening to me?”

“Your body is trying to shift, baby,” I told her. “It’s your wolf.”